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When Rezulin was approved in January 1997, Warner-Lambert
downplayed the liver damage
complications claiming that Rezulin side effects were low
risk. As early as 1993, the manufacturer knew that at least
12 people had suffered from Rezulin side effects causing liver
damage. Despite the consumer advocacy group, Public Citizen’s,
attempts to have Rezulin recalled as early as July 1998, the
diabetes drug remained on the
market until March 21, 2000. By this time there were 90 reported
cases of Rezulin side effects of liver failure that had led
to the deaths of 63 people.
Serious, life-threatening Rezulin side effects have been
directly linked to the use of the diabetes drug. Warner-Lambert
has been blamed in dozens of deaths from liver failure and
thousands of other liver damage cases from 1997-2000. Contact
us to speak directly with an expert Rezulin side effects lawyer.
| Breaking
News!!
Pfizer Must Defend Rezulin Lawsuit
April 22, 2003 - An appeal court reinstated
a Rezulin lawsuit that was dismissed in October 2001
in a lower court. The Rezulin lawsuit alleged that Pfizer’s
Warner-Lambert unit hid Rezulin safety risks and continued
to aggressively market Rezulin despite the serious liver
damages being reported. Rezulin class action lawsuit
status is currently being sought for the damages suffered
by Rezulin patients.
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Rezulin
Recalled
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“I’m astonished
that the additional year of product (Rezulin) life
even existed.”
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-Jerry Avorn, chief of the
division tracking adverse medication events at Brigham and
Women’s Hospital in Boston, (USA Today, 5-3-00)
Rezulin was recalled on March 21, 2000 after the Rezulin
side effects were shown to cause death and serious injuries
to the liver and to the heart.
Around two million people have used Rezulin and about 500,000
Americans were using Rezulin at the time of the recall. Public
Citizen had been petitioning the FDA since July 1998 for the
immediate ban of the drug because of the Rezulin side effects
of liver problems.
Serious, life-threatening Rezulin side effects have been
directly linked to the use of the diabetes drug. Warner-Lambert
has been blamed in dozens of deaths from liver failure and
thousands of other liver damage cases from 1997-2000.
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Deaths Linked to Rezulin
Side Effects
Rezulin was recalled on March 21, 2000. There were
90 cases of liver failures attributed to Rezulin side effects.
The actual number of fatalities is expected to be much greater
due to the large number of underreporting that is estimated
account for just 1-10% according to experts. Of the reported
90 Rezulin side effects cases of liver failure there were:
- 63 deaths
- 7 liver transplant survivors
- 10 recoveries without a liver transplant
- 10 people continuing to suffer from liver failure
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Short Cut Led to Rezulin Death
and Serious Injuries
Every year there is an estimated two million drug-related
hospitalizations a year, including tens of thousands of deaths.
Rezulin’s “breakthrough” status allowed it to
speed through FDA approval in just six months, but why
are major risks being allowed when serious and deadly Rezulin
side effects are associated to the drug?
More and more drugs are fast tracked by the FDA that
requires very strict guidelines. Rezulin was quickly approved
but required detailed and regular monitoring of a patient’s
liver. Due to the FDA’s four attempts to strengthen Rezulin
labels to make liver testing more frequent, far fewer than 10%
of patients received the recommended 1997 monthly liver function
tests
according to the FDA.
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